A folding bicycle is a type of bicycle with small wheels of approx 16 inches (406 mm) that enables it to be folded and carried easily.
Folding bicycles are popular in the Orient and the United Kingdom, less so in the United States. Their major advantage is that they can be folded up and taken on public transport and into buildings where conventional bicycles cannot be taken. This has advantages in cities as the owner can be sure the bicycle will not be stolen and allows journeys by public transport to be completed on bicycle.
Manufacturers of folding bikes include:
- Brompton bicycle [1] (Britain),
- Dahon bicycle [2] (Made in Taiwan, although headquartered in California)
- Bike Friday [3] (America)
- Airnimal [4] (Britain)
- Strida [5] (Britain)
The wide variety of folding bicycles reflect different ideas about what a folding bicycle should be. The Brompton, for example, is optimized for sturdiness, quick deployment, and small size. The Airnimal, by contrast, is designed for cyclists who wish to pack it convieniently; it takes a long time to fold and unfold, but is very like a regular bike in uses.
Link
